In passing a 2-week "stop gap" continuing resolution this week to avoid a March 5 shutdown of the federal government, Congress made cuts to several programs important to physical therapists. The measure, which will fund the government through March 18, contains more than $4 billion in cuts – including decreases for Special Education (-$22 million) and Rehabilitation Service and Disability Services (-$5 million) within the US Department of Education, in addition to cuts to the Administration on Aging (-$6 million), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (-$21 million), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (-$397 million). Congress will now have to act by March 18 to pass legislation to fund the government through the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends on October 1. The partisan debate continues over how deeply the Republican majority of the House can cut spending and still achieve passage by the Democratic majority of the Senate.